The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 02 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
Philosophy
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 02 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
It may be necessary to promise, that at the opening of the poll the
candidates were Lord Clare, Mr. Brickdale, the two last members, and Mr.
Cruger, a considerable merchant at Bristol. On the second day of the
poll, Lord Clare declined; and a considerable body of gentlemen, who had
wished that the city of Bristol should, at this critical season, be
represented by some gentleman of tried abilities and known commercial
knowledge, immediately put Mr. Burke in nomination. Some of them set off
express for London to apprise that gentleman of this event; but he was
gone to Malton, in Yorkshire. The spirit and active zeal of these
gentlemen followed him to Malton. They arrived there just after Mr.
Burke's election for that place, and invited him to Bristol.
Mr. Burke, as he tells us in his first speech, acquainted his
constituents with the honorable offer that was made him, and, with their
consent, he immediately set off for Bristol, on the Tuesday, at six in
the evening; he arrived at Bristol at half past two in the afternoon, on
Thursday, the 13th of October, being the sixth day of the poll.
He drove directly to the mayor's house, who not being at home, he
proceeded to the Guildhall, where he ascended the hustings, and having
saluted the electors, the sheriffs, and the two candidates, he reposed
himself for a few minutes, and then addressed the electors in a speech
which was received with great and universal applause and approbation.
SPEECH
AT
HIS ARRIVAL AT BRISTOL.
Gentlemen,--I am come hither to solicit in person that favor which my
friends have hitherto endeavored to procure for me, by the most
obliging, and to me the most honorable exertions.
I have so high an opinion of the great trust which you have to confer on
this occasion, and, by long experience, so just a diffidence in my
abilities to fill it in a manner adequate even to my own ideas, that I
should never have ventured of myself to intrude into that awful
situation. But since I am called upon by the desire of several
respectable fellow subjects, as I have done at other times, I give up my
fears to their wishes. Whatever my other deficiencies may be, I do not
know what it is to be wanting to my friends.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account